Xmas lights: How to count the right amount

Photo credit: Kevin Mazur for Tishman Speyer

Last week, the holiday season officially arrived as Rockefeller Center's iconic Christmas tree was lit up.

And for the first time, the festivities went really green with 30,000 solar-powered, multicolored LED lights bedecking the 84-foot tall spruce.

Those numbers are just about in line with gardener Rebecca Kolls' tree light guidelines, give or take a hundred bulbs (or give or take my ability to do basic algebra).

To see how many lights Kolls recommends per tree foot, read on.

Here's the breakdown:

Tree Height                 Light Count Needed
3 feet                                      100
4 feet                                      200
5 feet                                      300
6 feet                                      500
7 feet                                      700
9 feet                                    1,000
10 feet                                  1,200
12 feet                                  1,400
15 feet                                  1,800

And my hat's off to you if you're trimming an even taller tree. If you are, please submit your prized plant to the This Old House contest, because that's something I would love to see!

And to make sure you get the best tree in the lot, check out our tips for picking out a sprightly pine.

Oh, and remember to have an especially happy holiday season!